Natural Disasters in Pelion, SC

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

90.9

Relatively Moderate

Expected Annual Loss

91.4

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

22.4

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

46.2

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Tornado97.6Ice Storm96.7Strong Wind93.3

Hazard	Risk Score
Tornado	97.6
Ice Storm	96.7
Strong Wind	93.3
Heat Wave	92.3
Lightning	92.2
Hurricane	92.1
Earthquake	91.4
Hail	80.7
Cold Wave	77.9
Winter Weather	76.5
Landslide	75.6
Wildfire	75.3
Drought	63.4

Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.

Disaster Declarations

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Winter Storm

Jan 2026

Most Common Type

Hurricane

13 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 23, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Sep 29, 2024	Hurricane	HURRICANE HELENE
Aug 5, 2024	Tropical Storm	HURRICANE DEBBY
Aug 31, 2023	Hurricane	HURRICANE IDALIA
Nov 21, 2022	Hurricane	HURRICANE IAN
Sep 29, 2022	Hurricane	HURRICANE IAN
Mar 27, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Sep 1, 2019	Hurricane	HURRICANE DORIAN
Sep 10, 2018	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLORENCE
Oct 16, 2017	Hurricane	HURRICANE IRMA
Sep 7, 2017	Hurricane	HURRICANE IRMA
Oct 6, 2016	Hurricane	HURRICANE MATTHEW
Oct 5, 2015	Flood	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Oct 3, 2015	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Mar 12, 2014	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Feb 12, 2014	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Sep 10, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Oct 7, 2004	Hurricane	TROPICAL STORM FRANCES
Feb 13, 2004	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE ICE STORM

Showing 20 of 24 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

1,655

Total IA Distributed

$967,954

Repair/Replace

$261,369

Rental Assistance

$175,129

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4829	1,022	$442,072	—
DR-4241	606	$399,057	$677
DR-4492	26	$123,784	—
DR-4527	1	$3,041	—

Individual and household assistance for homeowners and renters affected by federally declared disasters.

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

691

Total Claims Paid

$14,232,078

Avg Claim Payout

$20,596

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$9,906,697

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

112

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4241	Flood	45	$6,604,367
DR-4829	Hurricane	26	$1,810,638
DR-4492	Biological	7	$1,046,611
DR-1509	Severe Ice Storm	13	$227,716
DR-4166	Severe Ice Storm	9	$110,202
DR-1313	Severe Storm(s)	6	$45,264
DR-1299	Hurricane	3	$32,508
DR-3233	Hurricane	2	$23,075
DR-4346	Other	1	$6,316

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$1,103,945

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

1.71

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	3	$0
700.1: Management Costs - Salaries; 700.3: Management Costs - Office Space Rental; 700.4: Management Costs - Supplies	2	$99,442
600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan)	2	$401,589
601.2: Generators - Regular	2	$435,181
601.1: Generators	2	$0

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Pelion has a relatively moderate overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are tornado, ice storm, strong wind. The area has had 24 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (13 declarations). 691 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $9,906,697 in public assistance recovery funding. $967,954 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 18 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.